The invention relates to adapters for connecting devices to personal computers.
To expand the capacity and functional capability of portable laptops, computers, and other types of electronic devices, manufacturers developed xe2x80x9cplug-inxe2x80x9d peripheral cards containing circuits and devices such as memories and modems.
Because of the many possible methods of constructing the interface between a computer and a peripheral card device, standards were developed by the Personal Computer Memory Card International Association (xe2x80x9cPCMCIAxe2x80x9d), Japan Electronic Data Interchange Council (xe2x80x9cJEDICxe2x80x9d), International Organization for Standardization (xe2x80x9cISOxe2x80x9d), Compact Flash Association (xe2x80x9cCFAxe2x80x9d), and others. Standards for PC Cards (formerly called PCMCIA Cards) require that they have a length of approximately 85 mm, a width of 54 mm, and a maximum thickness of 5 mm.
For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,891 (the ""891 Patent), incorporated herein by reference, discloses a housing for such a PC card, and a process for making same. The housing disclosed in the ""891 Patent meets standards defined in the PCMCIA CompactFlash Specification Revision 2.1.1, incorporated herein by reference.
Following the introduction of PC cards, small flash memory devices, often referred to as CompactFlash(trademark) cards, were introduced for use with personal electronic products, such as digital cameras and cellular phones. In keeping with the trend of developing smaller devices, CompactFlash cards were even smaller in size than PC Cards. One format for CompactFlash cards was promulgated by the CFA. A card with this format, which will be referred to as a Type I card, has an approximate length of 36 mm, an approximate width of 42 mm, and an approximate thickness of 3.3 mm. Type I cards were originally intended for use with products other than personal computers. Therefore, to connect a Type I card to a personal computer, an adaptor providing a PCMCIA interface at one end and an interface for the Type I card at the other end is used. These adapters will be referred to as Type I adapters. The Type I adapter plugs into the personal computer interface for PC Cards and the Type I card plugs into the Type I adapter.
More recently, a new format for CompactFlash cards that differs from the form factor of a Type I card has been proposer A card with this new format, which will be referred to as a Type II card, has the same width and length as a Type I card but is thicker than the Type I card. In fact, Type II cards are as thick as PC Cards and Type 1 Adapters. Due to its thickness, the Type II card does not fit inside a standard PC Card housing or a Type I adapter. Consequently, the Type II card cannot be used with the Type I adapters currently used with Type I cards.
It may be noted that the position of the Type II card socket holes and pins with respect to the bottom of the card is the same as that for the Type I card. Therefore, the Type II card""s socket holes are offset from its center toward the bottom of the card on account of the Type II card""s increased thickness.
Type II cards have grooves, approximately 1.0-1.2 mm deep, 36.4 mm long, and 1.7 mm high, running along the two side walls that correspond to the grooves running along the side walls of the Type I card. The grooves on the Type II card are offset toward the bottom of the card.
Standards covering the Type II card have been proposed. These proposed standards require that Type II cards have a thickness of no more than 5 mm, and that the center line of the holes be approximately 1 mm above the bottom of the Type II card.
The invention provides an adapter configured to connect both Type I and Type II cards into a PCMCIA compliant PC Card interface on a personal computer. More specifically, the invention provides a protective shutter mechanism adapted to receive both Type I and Type II cards.
In one aspect, the invention is directed to an apparatus comprising a header and a shutter. The header has a front face, two side walls extending from the header front face, and male connector pins extending from the header front face substantially parallel to the side walls. The inner surface of each side wall includes a guide rail. The shutter has a front face, a rear face, two sides with grooves slidably engaging the guide rails, a planar sheet projecting from an edge of the shutter rear face, and a plurality of holes extending from the shutter front face to the shutter rear face and corresponding to the male connector pins.
Implementations of the invention may include the following. A connector pin may be secured to the shutter and may extend through and slidably engage an aperture through the header. The planar sheet may include a lip to limit forward motion of the shutter by engaging the header, and the lip may be located on a tab extending from the planar sheet. A spring may bias the shutter away from the header. The holes in the shutter may be offset from the center toward the bottom of the shutter. A shroud may be connected to the shutter opposite the planar sheet, and a flange may run along a top and a bottom of the shutter front face. The apparatus may also include a frame having opposing side rails forming a bay at one end, a female connector disposed in an end of the frame opposite the bay, and an electrical connection between the female connector and the male connector pins in the header. The header may be disposed between the bay and the female connector, and the holes of the shutter may face the bay. The female and male connectors may conform to PCMCIA standards.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a dual mode adapter comprising a female connector, a male connector having a plurality of pins, an electrical connection between the female connector and the male connector, a shield for covering the pins in the male connector, and a housing for supporting the female connector, male connector and shield. The shield has a planar sheet with a lip and a plurality of holes corresponding to the pins in the male connector and is slidably engaged to the male connector. The housing defines a bay at the end of the adaptor opposite the female connector.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a kit comprising a header and a shutter. The header has a front face, two side walls extending from the header front face, and male connector pins extending from the header front face substantially parallel to the side walls. The inner surface of each side wall includes a guide rail. The shutter has a front face, a rear face, two sides with grooves configured to slidably engage the guide rails, a planar sheet projecting from an edge of the shutter rear face, and a plurality of holes extending from the shutter front face to the shutter rear face and corresponding to the male connector pins.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to an apparatus for adapting a CompactFlash compatible electronic device to a PCMCIA compatible male connector. The apparatus comprises a PCMCIA compatible female connector, a CompactFlash compatible male connector, an electrical connection between the female connector and the male connector, and a housing supporting the male connector and the female connector. The housing has a top, a bottom, and a thickness between the top and the bottom that is essentially the maximum thickness that complies with the PCMCIA standard, and the male connector has pins arranged and the housing is configured to enable connection of either a type 1 or a type 2 CompactFlash electronic device to the male connector.
Implementation of the invention may include the following. The housing may include a bay which spans the full thickness of the housing and which spans enough of the width of the housing to accommodate the width of a CompactFlash-compatible electronic device. A CompactFlash Type 1-compatible or Type-2 compatible electronic device may be held fully within the bay, the CompactFlash device having a female connector mated with the male connector. The apparatus may include a shutter movable relative to the housing from a first position in which the pins are exposed for connection to a female connector to a second position in which the pins are protected.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to an apparatus comprising a connector assembly and a housing for the connector assembly. The connector assembly is configured to enable connection of either a type 1 or a type 2 CompactFlash electronic device to a PCMCIA compatible interface of a personal computer, and the housing has a top, a bottom, and a thickness between the top and the bottom that is essentially the maximum thickness that complies with the PCMCIA standard.
Among the advantages of the invention are one or more of the following. The dual mode adapter can be used with both Type I and Type II cards. The dual mode adapter shutter protects the male connector pins from damage when they are not engaged. The shutter and its locking mechanism are an integrated unitary piece, and as such, the dual mode adapter contains few parts and is unlikely to break. The dual mode adapter is easily and economically manufactured. The dual mode adapter is inexpensive, yet provides sufficient structural integrity in an aesthetically pleasing package.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description and from the claims.